All whom it may concern



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IMPRVEMBNT IN WATER-'racer SAFE.

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TO,ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. ELLIS, of Flushing, in the county of Queens, and State of New York, havel invented a new and 4improved Water-Proof Safe; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,-

and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

It is very desirable to deposit in some secure place of concealment, valuable papers, bonds, &e., and this is often desirable when'ordinary safes are employed, for such safes usually receive the burglar's first attention.

The object, therefore, of my invention is to provide a waterproofsafe, in whiclrpapers,` bonds, &c., &c., can be enclosed, which water-proof safe can be buried in the ground, dropped'in a cistern,or deposited in some other place where the owner shall know its position, and where its hiding-place will not be likely t'o be discovered-a safe so constructed, that the papers enclosed therein shall be absolutely protected from dampness.

My invention consists in a case provided with one or more inner cases or bags, in which papers, bonds, and

other valuable documents can be enclosed andsecreted in the ground-or elsewhere, without'danger of. the papers,

rite., becoming destroyed, as will vbe hereinafter specified. In the accompanying drawings- Figure I is a central longitudinal section of my invention, taken on'the plane of the lline a: x, fig. 3, Figure 2 is an external view of an inner case. 'i Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section, taken on the plane of the'line yy, fig. I. A designates the outer case,l having one end closed andthe other open. :B is a cap or cover, one end of which, in the present instance, is provided with a small screw, whichl lits 'into a female screw, ont in the open end of the case A. Rubber or any other' suitable packing,p, may be employed to insure a perfectly'water-tight I joint, .and to prevent water creeping in to rust the screw, or getting into the case. Inthe present instance, I haveshown the case A and its cover B as made of cast iron, but I will remark that any other suitable material may be employed for bothl theseparts. I I I C is the inner case, and D is its cover, both ofwhich I have shown' as constructed of tinned sheet metal, but which maybe of any other suitable material. `The cover D, I have shown as of a length to nearly surround the whole case C, by which I think I am insured greater security against water or other fluid creeping in, but I do not confine myself to any particular length of cover or cap D, nor to a cap sliding over the case, nor to the case sliding over the cap. I

E is a bag for holding the documents to be preserved. I-t is made of water-proof material, in the present instance, `and isvso constructed that its end may be tied up, and a cap, b, of suitable-waterproof material, be secured over the tied-up end, as shown in iig. 1. This cap insuresgreatersecurity against dampness creeping in to the papers, and may or may not be/used, as occasion may require.v

Upon the inside of the case A B, fenders, a, are. provided, whichserve to keep the inner case C D from' lying against the inner surface of the said case A B. VA chamber or space being thus provided between the two cases, there is little liability 'of mildew, mould, Ste., between'the cases, as would be likely to occur if the inner case should lie for any length of .time in contact with `the outer case. As an equivalent means for the-same purpose, I have shown' fenders, c, (see hg. 2,) secured to the outside of tlie innericase. l

It will be noticed that the papers, bonds, or other valuable documents, are tofbe placed in the bag E, and tied up, and, if thought advisable, case C, and the cover D shoved on it; the case C D is then placed in the case A, andthe cover B secured to the case A.'

This safe can be buried inthe ground, or let down into a well or cistern,'or placed elsewhere, and the papers enclosedin it be perfectly free from mildew, mould, and other destroying elements occasioned by dampness.

The safe, as above described, is composed of three parts, to wit, the outer case, the inner' case, and thas bag; but I wish it understood that I donot limit my invention to the employment of all three parts togethe For instance, `'the outer canse and the bag maybe used without the inner case; the inner'ca-se and the bag may be used without the outer case; and the two cases may'be 'used withont the bag. The safe when thus constructed would be eilicient if placed in a damp place, such as a vault, basement, foundationwall, Ste.; but when the safe ils to be buried in the ground or submerged iu'water, I prefer to use all three parts, that is, two cases and he cap a secured over the drawn-up end. The bag E is then plsaced in the g, nor to thmuterial ofy wilich the lutter may a. bag; and I do not limit myself to the shape of the cases on im uoyant quality, which would sustain it be made. Should the enclosing case be made of wood,l or hvesome b on the surface of the water, the safe would be Well-adapted for containing ships papers,

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is A water-proof safe or receptaci-e for papers and` other'vialunble documents, cons herein specified.

JOHN ELLIS.

tructed substantially us Witnesses:

M. M. LIVINGSTON, 'T B. BEEGHER. 

